Topic: you know what sucks

[Tus-XC]

I'm on of those half-life fans who has been waiting for half-life 2 for over a year.  Well i got it yesterday (and was estatic) went to play and found out that i need an internet connection in order to activate (there is no phone number like XP)  Now this wouldn't bee so bad but even if i connected my gaming rig to my network i still wouldn't be able to play cause it don't like steam....

To say the least i'm quite pissed...(cause i really don't want to drag my 45 pound computer to my sponsors house... and that would also be quite rude i tink)

ARGGGGG

[Ferretlxix_XC]

Was there anyhting on the box stating that you need an internet connection to play it?

[Tus-XC]

it does, problem is i preodered so i didn't see it when i did (either that or knew that the system requirments were going to hefty but didn't bother checking cause i didn't have any worries) and i didn't check back to the site till few days before shipping and i didn't look at the system reqs then (still annoying as hell though.  at least it ain't a show stopper, just will have to lugg my 45 pound system around sometime before christmas... or hope that the realease somthing to auth my game)

just think its wierd that i hadn't read about until i recieved the game.  I'm usually pretty up to date on these things

[Iceman]

Try calling valve. There must be a way for them to give you a key over the phone.  Don't bother calling Vivendi.  They're pricks.

[Elvis]

There is no way, other than a hack to avoid STEAM, and STEAM is a Valve requirement and not a a Vivendi one.

The graphics in the game are stunning. But.....and mind  you I never played the first one, the game play I find as repetitive as DOOM3. And your kind of teased by the graphics, it is a beautiful world  but your never going to see more than one path. At least Far Cry gave you options and had the feeling of being open ended. Half Life 2 while being gorgeous is just not really all that immersive. Doom 3 was immersive in a dark sort of way in a maze like base.   

[Tus-XC]

looks like i'll be waiting till the sunday after thanksgiving and hulling my humongous maching to my sponsors house... oh well.

[Javora]

The graphics in the game are stunning. But.....and mind  you I never played the first one, the game play I find as repetitive as DOOM3. And your kind of teased by the graphics, it is a beautiful world  but your never going to see more than one path. At least Far Cry gave you options and had the feeling of being open ended. Half Life 2 while being gorgeous is just not really all that immersive. Doom 3 was immersive in a dark sort of way in a maze like base.

That is exactly how I felt about the game when I saw it at a friend?s house yesterday.  I expected so much more out of the game and was disappointed when I actually saw the game on screen.  The people that made Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 need to realize that there is a lot more to making today?s video games then eye candy and in-game physics.  On the other hand if this kind of video and physics is what is to be expected in future games I can't wait for Neverwinter Nights 2 and Battlefield 2.

On a side note, while playing Counter Strike Source we were able to shoot the living you-know-what out of some Dell boxes.  You can actually see the parts flying out of the case.  Hard drives, CPU's/heat sinks, Ram, PCI cards and motherboards just go flying when you shoot them.  I?ve wanted to do that to my Dell box for years!!!  Someone should make a mod called Dell H*||, and fill a room full of these cursed boxes and all the ammo you could ever want.   It actually felt good to blow the boxes up, anyone who has ever dealt with Dell systems will know exactly what I'm talking about.   But when the rest of the game play is so lacking, I can't see paying $50USD plus just for the pleasure virtually sticking it to Dell.